The present invention relates to a display support arm and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus adapted to move within a hospital as necessary and acquire an image at a position, for example, at a bedside position close to a subject.
Recently, the ultrasonic imaging apparatus have widely spread as an apparatus for obtaining a tomographic image of a subject in real time. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus including a display, a body and a probe portion as an integral structure is relatively small-sized and can be moves easily through wheels mounted to a lower portion of the body.
The ultrasonic imaging apparatus can be moved easily by manual pushing of an operator up to a place best suited for acquiring an image of a subject. In this movement is included, for example, a movement between upper and lower floors with use of an elevator installed within a hospital. As the case may be, movement using an automobile or the like is also included.
On the other hand, the display of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus is shifting from CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) to LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and thus the display is being reduced in weight. With this reduction in weight, it has become possible to dispose the display on top of the body through plural swing arms (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). These swing arms make the display movable in the horizontal direction and the display can be moved to a position somewhat away from the body and which the operator desires. Consequently, in such a narrow area as a bedside area in which the movement of the body is not easy, it is possible to move only the display and the probe portion to near the subject and perform an ultrasonic inspection. This is convenient both subject and operator.
However, the display put on swing arms may undergo a large positional deviation due to vibration or shaking caused by movement of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus. This positional deviation which occurs during movement of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus is likely to cause collision of the display with a wall surface or a passer-by and thus involves a dangerous factor. Therefore, a lock mechanism for fixing the display to ensure safety is provided for the swing arms.
[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-344636 (pp. 5-6, FIG. 4).
According to the above background art, however, setting the lock mechanism is troublesome, requiring much time and labor. That is, for fixing the display positively to the body of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus, it is necessary that the plural swing arms for carrying the plural swing arms thereon be locked and fixed each individually.
Particularly, when the ultrasonic imaging apparatus is used at a bedside position in a hospital, the apparatus is moved frequently. Locking the plural swing arms carrying the display thereon, which is performed at every such movement, is troublesome. Besides, at a site where an ultrasonic imaging operation is performed, the lock mechanism must not obstruct a free movement of the swing arms from the standpoint of operating performance on the operator side.
Thus, it is important how such display support arm and ultrasonic imaging apparatus as can lock and fix the movement of plural swing arms carrying the display thereon are to be implemented without requiring much time and labor.